Addiction is a chronic disease, like heart disease or asthma. As such, it’s not really accurate to think about a “cure” for addiction any more than it would be appropriate to talk about a cure for those diseases. Addiction is something that people can struggle with the rest of their lives.

The good news is that addiction can be effectively treated and managed so that it doesn’t disrupt your health, happiness, or ability to live a productive and fulfilling life. Decades of research on the biology and psychology of substance misuse disorders have led to well-tested, research-based methods to help people recover.

Relapse Doesn’t Mean Failure

Many people think that a relapse in the course of recovery means they have failed — but that’s not the case. Since addiction is a chronic disease, relapse is a part of the process. Relapse rates for addiction are similar to rates for other chronic medical illnesses, but newer treatments are specially designed to help prevent relapses.

It’s important to keep in mind, though, that when it comes to drugs, relapse can be very dangerous — it’s definitely better to avoid it if at all possible. As recovery progresses, a person’s tolerance to previous levels of drug exposure begins to fall. When a person relapses, they often take the dose they’re used to from before they started recovery, which can lead to hospitalization or even death.

Principles Of Effective Treatment

In general, medication is the most effective line of treatment for opioid misuse problems. Medication can block neurotransmitters that foster cravings and might encourage relapse, and it’s especially effective when combined with behavioral therapy or counseling.

For people with problems misusing substances like stimulants or cannabis, there are currently no clinically tested medication to help with treatment, so recovery programs will focus on behavioral and psychological solutions. Treatment should be focused on each individual patient’s drug use patterns, as well as their medical, social, and mental histories.

Medication is also used in many cases to detoxify people from drugs. Detoxification can be an important step in recovery, as it purges the chemical hooks from a person’s system that cause withdrawal and cravings. Detox is not a substitute for treatment, though, and isn’t sufficient to help a person recover on their own. Detox without additional treatment usually leads to relapse.

Medication For Drug Addiction

Medication plays an important role in various stages of substance misuse treatment, helping patients stop using drugs, stay in treatment, and avoid relapse.

Some medications are designed specifically to help patients avoid withdrawal. When patients first stop using a substance they’re addicted to, they can experience severe psychological physiological symptoms, from insomnia to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. These symptoms provide a powerful impulse to start using substances again, but reducing the symptoms with medication can help mitigate those urges.

Behavioral Therapies For Drug Addiction

In addition to medicinal treatment, behavioral therapy helps people with substance misuse problems to change their attitudes and behaviors. They’re better able to cope with stressful situations and triggers that might push them to relapse.

Whether it’s cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps patients avoid situations that might push them back into drug use, or family therapy, which helps create a more supportive and functional environment for recovering patients.

No matter what the final process looks like, stopping drug use is only the first step of a long, complicated recovery process. Addiction can cause major disruptions in a person’s life, not just in their own bodies but in their families, careers, and communities.

Because the effects of addiction can be so broad, treatment needs to address the entire problem. And while the long-term effects of addiction may never go away entirely, anyone can find the help they need, with the appropriate support.

Alcohol consumption is very common — over half of Americans say they’ve had an alcoholic beverage in the last month. Unfortunately, alcohol use disorder (AUD) is also common. As of 2015, there were 15.1 million American adults suffering from alcohol use disorder — more than one in 20.

If you’re dealing with AUD yourself, or if you have a family member or friend who struggles with AUD, you’re not alone. AUD can cause significant health problems, social distress, and danger to the person suffering and to others — an estimated 88,000 people a year die of alcohol-related causes.

The care that you’ll need to recover from AUD will vary depending on your history, usage, and the individual symptoms you develop, but it’s common for people experiencing AUD to have withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking suddenly. That’s where detox comes in.

What Is Detox?

Detox is the first step of treatment, but it doesn’t replace treatment entirely. When someone who’s developed a chemical dependence on alcohol stops drinking completely and all at once — “cold turkey,” as it’s often called — they can start to develop withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can come on quickly — within 24 hours in most cases — and often occur while the person still has alcohol in their system.

For some, withdrawal symptoms are relatively mild, much like a bad hangover. Nausea, headache, dehydration, and aversion to bright light and loud noises are common.

Others, especially those who have been dealing with AUD for a long time, will experience much more serious symptoms. These include:

Anxiety Delirium tremens (DTs), a life-threatening issue that can make you restless, upset, and confused and cause fever, hallucinations, and seizures Depression Hallucinations, when you see or hear things that aren’t there Problems sleeping Shakiness, especially in your hands Unstable changes in blood pressure and heart rate

Do I Need To Detox?

It depends. If you need alcohol on a daily basis just to make your body and brain feel normal, then you most likely have developed a chemical dependence and need help. Don’t try to detox alone, though. Going “cold turkey” without medical supervision isn’t recommended, and can be fatal if not handled properly. If you realize that you need help with AUD, seek out a medical professional.

A detox program will include support to guide you through the withdrawal symptoms, which might last a week or more and hit their peak around 24-72 hours in. Detox programs will often include medication to help ease symptoms, but there’s no beating around the bush — it’s going to be a miserable experience. That’s why support is so important. You’re much more likely to stay on track with a detox program if you have lots of help.

Types of Detox Programs

If you’re trying to plan a detox program for yourself or someone else, it helps to think a step further to a rehabilitation program. Detox is just the first step to get the alcohol out of your system — rehab is how you learn to stop misusing it entirely.

An inpatient program takes place at a hospital, rehab center, or detox clinic. You’ll live in the facility full time during the process, and you’ll have help and support available 24/7 to get you through the difficult process.

For patients with less severe AUD, an outpatient program might be a better fit. Outpatient means you still live at home, but get some treatment during the day. This could run a gamut of treatment levels, from full days in therapy and counseling to simply picking up medications.

Making The Transition To Recovery

Once you’ve been detoxed and gotten through your unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, it’s time to start thinking about rehabilitation. Without help, you’re likely to relapse and fall right back into a habit of harmful alcohol use, so it’s important to change your mindset going forward.

Talk to a professional who can assess your history with alcohol, physical and mental health, history of rehabilitation or attempted rehabilitation, and a number of other factors to find the facility or program that’s right for you.

Admitting that you have a problem is the hardest part of any rehabilitation program, but it’s an important first step. Alcohol doesn’t have to control your life, and you don’t have to fight it alone. If you’re concerned about your alcohol use or that of a loved one, don’t hesitate to look for help.

The Truth About Relapse Rates

Relapse, broadly speaking, is when a drug or alcohol addiction reappears after a period of remission or recovery. For people who have struggled with substance use disorders, they’re surprisingly common.

In fact, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, relapse rates for substance abuse are roughly the same as those for other chronic diseases, like diabetes, asthma, and hypertension — about 40-60 percent.

That doesn’t mean that relapse is a guarantee, however, or that it can’t be mitigated and controlled with careful treatment and support.

How Treatment Affects Relapse Rates

There are several factors that affect the rate at which those diagnosed with substance use disorders (SUDs) relapse. One example is participation in a 12-step program like Alcoholics Anonymous. Duration matters as much as simple participation — a study completed in 2006 indicated that 72% of individuals who participated in AA for more than 27 weeks were relapse-free after 16 years — twice the rate of those who didn’t join AA at all.

Despite the variety of data on the subject, two main themes seem consistent: getting treatment for SUD can greatly reduce relapse rates, and relapse rates are highest in the first year of sobriety, with a steep drop-off every year after that.

Even a few days of treatment can make a difference. According to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, “Patients who received addiction treatment within 30 days of going through detoxification took 40 percent longer to relapse if they fell off the wagon at all.”

As for the second theme, the evidence indicates that staying sober only gets easier as life goes on. In 2007, the National Institutes of Health published data comparing relapse rates over time during recovery. In their first year of recovery, almost two-thirds of participants recovering from SUD experienced a relapse. For those who stayed sober for a year, that number fell to half. And for patients who managed to stay sober for five years, relapse rates were less than 15 percent.

Relapse From Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

Rates of alcohol relapse for those with alcohol use disorders are high — the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse has indicated that 90 percent of alcoholics will experience at least one relapse following treatment.

However, the trend of relapse rates dropping over time still holds true. During the first year of recovery, relapse rates are as high as 80%, but that number drops to 40% after two years of sobriety. Furthermore, individuals who seek support for their addiction are more likely to be clean and sober three years later than those who don’t get help, or who try to quit on their own.

Cocaine and Meth Relapse Rates

Stimulant drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine are known for their strong addictive properties and high relapse rates, but the premise that recovery helps to prevent relapse still holds. In a study cited by Reuters, 48 percent of meth users who followed a detox and rehabilitation program were still sober three months later and 20 percent were sober after a year — by contrast, only 7 percent of people who had undergone detox only or received no treatment had managed to avoid relapse.

Opiate Addiction Rates

Opiate use disorders have been a hot-button issue in the news recently. Unlike many other addictive substances, opiates can be said to have a true “gateway” to misuse and addiction — prescription painkillers, which are prescribed frequently and in ever-increasing quantities. Individuals who exhibit none of the usual risk factors for substance use disorder are becoming addicted to opiates, and as a result, more than 2.4 million Americans suffer from an opiate use disorder.

The federal government is responding with task forces focused on medication-assisted therapies and pharmacological treatments for opiate addiction, many of which have shown promising results. In addition, there is increasing social pressure for doctors to prescribe opiates more judiciously. In the meantime, techniques like detox and rehabilitation still show success.

Marijuana Relapse Rates

There has long been a debate as to whether marijuana can be habit-forming in the first place, and to what extent, but the fact remains that roughly 300,000 people every year seek treatment for cannabis use disorder. Unfortunately, relapse rates are high and the FDA has not currently approved any medication to help treat CUD.

Factors that contribute to marijuana relapse are still somewhat of a mystery, but there is some evidence that daily marijuana smokers who also smoke tobacco cigarettes are more likely to relapse than those who don’t. Additionally, it seems that those who begin marijuana use later in life are more likely to relapse than those who begin as teenagers.

What Causes Relapse?

Addiction is a chronic illness — those who suffer from substance use disorders may never be completely free from the risk of relapse. However, relapse rates are at their highest immediately following treatment — 65-70% of patients will relapse within 90 days of finishing treatment — so any research that can identify those at higher risk or relapse is helpful.

Clinical evidence points to several risk factors for relapse. Some are environmental, like stress and being in areas that remind patients of their prior substance misuse. Others are neurological or biological, like cortisol sensitivity, medial frontal gray matter volume, and serum BDNF.

Hopefully, further research will generate a clearer picture of exactly which people are most susceptible to relapse, which clinicians and specialists can then use to screen for those who need more intensive care and treatment.

How To Prevent Relapse

There’s no magic formula for preventing a relapse if you’re recovering from a substance use disorder. Individuals recovering from substance use disorders often find that avoiding relapse is relatively easy while undergoing treatment and rehabilitation — it’s when they return to their old life and its many triggers that they run into problems.

While you recover, it’s important to recognize and avoid situations that might lead you to relapse. Maybe there’s a particular bar that you used to attend, a park where you used to use, a place you would meet your dealer or certain friends who always encouraged you to drink or use drugs. Avoiding those places and situations is a good first step.

Another useful tip is to stay busy. Research has shown time and time again that a daily routine helps foster discipline in your mind, keeping you focused on productive things like work and exercise and avoiding boredom — another common trigger. Make time to go for a walk, practice meditation, hit the gym, play games with your kids, or take up a creative hobby like painting or woodworking.

Finally, your support network is crucial. Hopefully, your friends from before you went into rehabilitation will be supportive of your new efforts to avoid triggering situations and be willing to help by having alcohol-free parties and finding other activities to engage in. If they’re not, it may be best for you not to spend time with them anymore.

The people you went through rehabilitation with are also a great resource, especially if they’re local. If they’re not, then you can seek out local therapy sessions and support meetings. Finding people that you can talk to who will understand what you’re going through will be a huge help in staying sober.

Relapse is a Fact of Life

Recovering from an addiction or substance misuse problem doesn’t end when your rehabilitation program ends. Addiction is a serious medical condition — it requires continuing care and an ongoing treatment plan to ensure that you can maintain a healthy lifestyle for years to come.

As much as we wish it weren’t true, relapse at some point is likely — it’s just the nature of a chronic illness like an addiction. In fact, relapse rates for addiction are similar to those of other chronic illnesses, like asthma, hypertension, and diabetes.

As much as we wish it weren’t true, relapse at some point is likely — it’s just the nature of a chronic illness like an addiction. In fact, relapse rates for addiction are similar to those of other chronic illnesses, like asthma, hypertension, and diabetes.

Treating a chronic medical condition is more than just medication — it involves changing behaviors, and that’s hard to do. It’s important to note, though, that relapse doesn’t mean the original course of treatment has failed. It just means that there’s still more work to do — new treatments, adjusted techniques, or other methods.

That’s where continuing care comes in. Roughly half of the people who struggle with addiction will relapse during recovery, so continuing care is crucial to help you get through your recovery and life a healthier life.

The Difference Between Rehabilitation and Continuing Care

When you undergo full- or part-time treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, you’re given the tools and knowledge to get clean and sober and stay that way. The problem is, those tools and knowledge are much easier to use when you’re in a controlled environment.

When you finish the program and get back to your normal life, your surroundings change. Not only are you lacking the same regular treatment and one-on-one time that you had during your rehabilitation program, but your surroundings have changed.

In many cases, you’re once again surrounded by triggers. Maybe it’s the liquor store where you used to buy alcohol or a park where you used to buy drugs. Maybe it’s being around your old friends, who still use recreational drugs or drink. Maybe it’s your own house and the memories it holds.

This change in circumstances is exactly why you should seek out continuing care, not just through the support of family and friends, but through professional help. This will include attending regular support meetings, continued counseling (including family and marriage counseling, if necessary), and learning to apply the tools you gained in your rehab program to your new life.

Types Of Continuing Care

After you complete an inpatient or residential rehabilitation program, you’ll usually transition to either an outpatient treatment program or a sober living house, sometimes called a “halfway house.”

An outpatient treatment program takes place in an office or clinic and involves educational sessions and group therapeutic meetings. You can attend these meetings as often as you need to, for as long as you need to, slowly attending fewer and fewer meetings as you progress.

A sober living house offers a little more structure, ensuring that recovering addiction patients can maintain a drug- and alcohol-free environment while they get back on their feet. These programs are sometimes court-mandated.

Building A New Life

Continuing care isn’t just about preventing relapse — it’s about helping you build a new life. As anyone who’s struggled with addiction can attest, your social life tends to revolve around the substances you misused and the people who used them with you. Once you go through a rehabilitation program, it’s hard to separate your social life from your substance problem.

Continuing care can help you meet new people and find new activities that don’t involve substance misuse, like exercise, artistic expression, volunteering, and taking classes. There’s no shame in needing help to get back on your feet, and continuing care might be just the help you need.

Being the only sober one at a party can be very uncomfortable — not only do you feel like you’re missing out on the fun, but you’ll be inundated with questions about why you aren’t drinking and might have to give long and awkward answers to those questions.

If you’ve struggled with alcohol addiction and are recovering, being surrounded by drinkers can be difficult, and you don’t need their questions making it any harder. This time of year, with Halloween, holiday parties, Thanksgiving, and Christmas coming up, can be especially difficult. Here’s how to have a good time at all those big social events without drinking — and without having to talk about it.

Always Have A Drink In Your Hand

This seems counterintuitive, but the most obvious sign that you’re not drinking is, well, not drinking. If you’re not holding a drink, someone will probably try to get you one, and you’ll have to explain why you don’t have one to everyone who asks.

The solution? Have a drink in your hand. If you’re carrying a glass with ice and liquid in it, people won’t give you a second glance. It’s easy to put a slice of lime in a glass of seltzer water or Coke or to make straight orange juice or ginger ale look like a cocktail. Most people won’t even notice.

Avoid the Backstory

Some people will find out that you don’t drink and want to know why, but people in a party atmosphere generally don’t want to hear about your past struggles with addiction. Lucky for you, the average stranger doesn’t actually care why you’re not drinking — it’s just a reflexive follow-up question.

That means you can brush them off with a simple cliche like “I’m not drinking tonight,” “I’m trying to cut back,” “I have to get up early,” or “I’m the designated driver.” Then change the subject to your local sports team and they probably won’t think about it again.

There’s an exception to this strategy — if you’re around family or co-workers, you’ll probably be seeing them in a context with alcohol again, and you’ll have to make up fresh excuses. If it’s someone you spend a lot of time with, take the time to explain your history with alcohol once, and you shouldn’t have to do it again.

Change The Focus Of The Party

Lots of people get together just to drink and talk. That’s fine, and you might have been one of them. But if you’re not drinking, that’s not the kind of gathering you should be seeking out.

If you’re hosting, make the party about something else! Host a party during a sports game so people have something else to look at and talk about. Do a movie night or a board game night. Serve food — if you have food in your hands, no one will think it’s weird that you don’t have a drink in your hand instead.

If people around you are getting drunk enough to be sloppy, they’re not just going to be pressuring you to drink too — they’re not going to be much fun to hang out with either.

Having a friend at the party who’s also not drinking is a great way to bond with someone over music or conversation instead of alcohol. Chances are, there’s someone else at the party who’s a designated driver or is getting up early, or might even share your history of addiction and be able to sympathize.

If your life used to be dominated by groups of people sitting around with a 12-pack and the TV on in the background, you’re in for a treat — there’s lots of other stuff going on!

Check Groupon or LivingSocial for activities in your area — they’re usually stuffed to the gills with activities that don’t have to center around drinking. Local sports games, dance lessons, planetarium shows, climbing gyms, ropes courses, monster truck shows, plays, murder mystery dinners, and so much more.

Feel like a historical sword fighting course for two? Or maybe a full day of paintball? You’ll never run out of ideas, you’ll keep yourself busy without drinking, and you might even learn some new skills!

Going through a comprehensive addiction recovery program can be extremely helpful to those who struggle with harmful substance use, but recovery doesn’t end when your program does. You may be excited to live substance-free, but you still have lingering fears of relapse and wonder how you’ll stay sober when you get back into your normal social life and routine.

Adjusting to life without the constant support and supervision of counselors and peers can be difficult. You may find yourself in situations that make you want to start using again. With help, you can maintain your sobriety long-term. Here are some steps to take that will make that easier.

Surround Yourself With Sober Friends

Obviously, no one is saying that you have to abandon all your old social connections when you get clean and sober. But there’s no denying the motivating power that peer pressure — even indirect peer pressure simply from being around other people who are using — can have on you.

Stay Active

Long-term substance use can start to physically rewire the brain — chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, commonly associated with happiness and generally “feeling good,” are gradually replaced by drugs to the point that the brain stops producing them on its own.

Exercise can bring that production back to a natural, healthy state without the help of substances. In addition to producing positive effects on the brain, exercise is a good way to sleep better, maintain a regular schedule, distract yourself from cravings, and reduce stress — all helpful ways to avoid relapse.

Change Your Surroundings

For some people, the areas they used to spend time can be major reminders of substance use and misuse. Whether it’s the bars you used to drink at, the places you used to meet your drug dealer or the parks in which you used to get high, these places can be strong triggers for cravings to use again.

Moving to a new home, a new neighborhood, or a new city can be a big step, but it can also help you push the reset button on your cravings. New places to form new memories, new associations, and new, positive habits might be just the push you need to stay clean longer.

If moving isn’t plausible, try to at least change up your surroundings. Consider new furniture in your home, or changing your decor to things that don’t trigger unpleasant memories. Start going to new restaurants and walking new routes around town.

Focus On Your Mental Health

Returning to a job, a commute, bills, and other aspects of daily life can be stressful, and stress can cause cravings to use again — indeed, it might be the reason you started using in the first place. It’s important to avoid feeling the same stressors as you did before, otherwise, a relapse becomes more likely.

Try to establish a daily routine that focuses on your mental health and gives you a chance to relax and unwind. Read a book, take the dog for a walk, or consider starting a meditation routine — there are tons of apps that will remind you to meditate every day and guide you through the process.

Stay On The Lookout For Signs Of Relapse

Addiction is a chronic illness — it won’t go away overnight, and the effects it has on you may never go away entirely. As a result, 40 to 60 percent of people in recovery will relapse at least once. That doesn’t mean that recovery is impossible, that treatment isn’t working, or that there’s something wrong with you — it means that recovery is really difficult.

For some people, negative emotions like stress, sadness, and anxiety can trigger the cravings that lead them to relapse. For others, it’s the opposite — feelings of happiness and power make them want to celebrate with substance use.

Whatever the trigger, be on the lookout for cravings and thoughts of relapse, and try to catch them before they turn into actions. Have a friend, peer, or sponsor that you can talk to when those thoughts come up — sometimes simply being told that you don’t need to use is enough to talk you down.

When you get a chance, talk to your therapist or go to a meeting. Talking to a professional or to your peers might help you identify where those triggers came from so you can avoid them or resist them better in future.

And remember, this isn’t supposed to be easy! No one expects you to get better and stay better without help, and despite the stigmas associated with addiction, there’s no shame in asking for help.

Substance abuse disorder treatment facilities pay a fee to Treatment Guru to be listed on this website. Treatment Guru does not endorse or recommend any treatment facility. Patients and their loved one are responsible for determining which treatment facility is right for them.

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(collectively, “Your Users”) follow this Agreement and for anything Your Users (and anyone else
whom you allow to access or use the Services) do or don’t do concerning this Agreement. You
are also responsible for: (a) the security and use of the access credentials to the Services for
you and Your Users; and (b) all access to and use of the Services through your IT systems or by
the access credentials for you and Your Users. You are responsible for restricting access to the
Services only to Your Users.

3. Limitations on Your Right to Access. Unless you and we specifically agree in writing, you
must not (and you may not authorize any other person to): (a) copy the Directory; (b) modify or
otherwise prepare derivative works of any part of the Directory; (c) sell, resell, license,
sublicense, distribute, make available, rent, or lease the Directory to any other party;
(d) transmit malicious code through the Services; (e) interfere with or disrupt the integrity or
performance of any part of the Services or any information or data contained in the Services;
(f) reverse engineer, disassemble, or decompile any part of the Services or attempt to gain
access to the source code of any part of the Services; (g) bypass or breach any security
protection used or contained in the Services; (h) delete, supplement, or change any trademarks,
disclaimers, intellectual property rights, or other notices in the Directory or Services; or (i) use
the Directory or the Services for any purpose not expressly permitted by this Agreement. If you
use the Services in breach of this Agreement and, in our judgment, the use threatens the
security, integrity, or availability of the Services, we may suspend access to the Services
immediately. We will, however, attempt to give you notice and an opportunity to cure the
breach issue before we suspend access to the Services, if it is appropriate under the
circumstances.

4. What We Need You to Do. You must provide us with accurate and complete information
about your substance use disorder treatment facility and cooperate with us so we may perform
our obligations under this Agreement. You are responsible for the accuracy of all information
and materials that you provide to us.

5. Other Things You Should Know. We may make changes to the Services if we think they will
benefit our customers. Any changes, enhancements, modifications, or other derivative works
will be considered part of the “Services”. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of any
material changes.

6. Fees and Payments. The fees for the Services are specified in our fee schedule. They do not
include sales or other taxes that may be required. If taxes are required, you will pay them. Fees
are nonrefundable. You will pay us 30 days after the date of the invoice. We may change Fees
by giving you 60 days’ notice. We will not increase fees more than once in any 12-month
period. By signing this Agreement, you confirm that the fees for the Services are consistent with
fair market value, and have not been determined in a way that takes into account the volume
or value of business that you might receive as a result of this Agreement.

7. Term and Termination.(a) Term. The Agreement begins on the Effective Date of the Agreement and ends twelve (12)
months thereafter (the “Initial Term”). After the Initial Term, the Agreement will renew
automatically for additional one-year periods. Each one-year period is a “Renewal Term.”
Together, the Initial Term and any Renewal Terms are the “Term.” The Agreement may be
terminated early only in one of the ways specified in the Agreement. (b) Termination. Either party may terminate this Agreement with or without cause at any time.
If a party wishes to terminate the Agreement without cause, it shall issue a written notice at
least 30 days before the termination date. (c) Effect of Termination. (i) When this Agreement terminates, the Services will immediately cease. You will immediately
stop using the Services and will require Your Users to stop using the Services. You must pay all
fees that are owed for any Services that we provided up to the date of termination or
expiration. You will also promptly destroy or return, at our request, our Confidential
Information in your possession. (ii) All obligations that by their nature extend beyond termination, including Sections 3 , 6 , 7(c) ,
8 , 9 , 10 , 11(b) , 12 , 14 , 15 , and 18 , will survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

8. Patient User Information. At the request of the individual user, we may make accessible to
you certain information regarding the individual user or their loved ones, including personal
and sensitive information such as name, date of birth, contact information, insurance
information, mental health information and substance use disorder information (collectively,
the “Patient Information”). You understand that we are transferring the Patient Information at
the individual user’s request, and that we are not a business associate under the Health
Insurance Portability Act of 1996 and its implementing regulations (collectively, “HIPAA”). Once
the Patient Information is received by you, you will comply with all applicable laws related to
the receipt and further use or disclosure of the Patient Information. You will only use the
Patient Information to contact the individual user to determine whether your substance use
disorder facility can offer appropriate treatment to such individual user or his/her loved one.
You alone are responsible for your use and disclosure of Patient Information.

9. Proprietary Rights. You are and will remain the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title,
and interest in and to the information you provide regarding your substance use disorder
treatment facility. We (and our third-party software and service providers) are and will remain
the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Directory and all other
Services, and any ideas, concepts, know-how, methodologies, and techniques related to the
Services developed by us or on our behalf at any time. Our ownership includes all patent,
trademark, trade secret, copyright and other intellectual property rights. This Agreement does
not provide you with rights, title, licenses or ownership of the Services or anything that we
provide, except as stated in this Agreement.

10. Confidentiality.(a) Definition. (i) “Confidential Information” means all information disclosed under this Agreement by or on
behalf of one party (the “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (the “Receiving Party”), which: (A) the Disclosing Party considers as confidential; and (B) is reasonably understood to be
confidential given the content of the information and the circumstances of disclosure.
Confidential Information does not have to be identified as “confidential.” Confidential
Information includes without limitation: marketing, advertising, distribution, and sales
practices; projections and financial information; strategies, tactics, and business plans; business
models; data sets; client lists and information; software and computer programs; know-how,
ideas, and trade secrets; technology; algorithms; and any information that is designated as
“confidential.” Confidential Information may be in any form. (ii) Exclusions. Confidential Information does not include information that: (A) is Patient
Information (which is covered by other provisions of this Agreement); (B) is or becomes
available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by the Receiving Party; (C) is or
becomes available to the Receiving Party from a third-party source, so long as the source is not
under an obligation of confidentiality to the Disclosing Party; (D) was lawfully known to the
Receiving Party prior to its disclosure to the Receiving Party; or (E) is or was independently
developed by the Receiving Party without using or referring to the Disclosing Party’s
Confidential Information. Confidential Information is solely the property of the Disclosing Party. (b) Permitted Use and Non-Disclosure. The Receiving Party may only use the Disclosing Party’s
Confidential Information as necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to use
the Services as permitted by this Agreement. You may not disclose our Confidential Information
except to Your Users, and we may not disclose your Confidential Information except to our
employees, contractors, agents, and advisors who need to know the information to perform
Services or in connection with this Agreement. The Receiving Party will use the same measures
to protect the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information as it uses to protect its own
confidential information, but it will always use at least a reasonable degree of care. You will be
responsible for any breach of this Section 10 by any of Your Users and we will be responsible for
any breach of this Section 10 by our employees, contractors, or agents.(c) Legal Requests. If a third-party requests that the Receiving Party disclose the Disclosing
Party’s Confidential Information through a subpoena, summons, search warrant, governmental
order, or other lawful process (“Legal Request”), the Receiving Party will notify the Disclosing
Party promptly after receiving the Legal Request, if it is allowed to do so by law. At the
Disclosing Party’s request and expense, the Receiving Party will reasonably cooperate to resist
the release of the Confidential Information under the Legal Request.(d) Irreparable Harm. The parties agree that unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential
Information may cause irreparable harm to the Disclosing Party and that monetary damages
would be insufficient to remedy the harm. Therefore, in the event of actual or threatened
breach of this Section 10 , the Disclosing Party may seek injunctive relief, without the need to
post bond, prove damages, or meet any similar requirement, and any other remedy available at
law or in equity.

11. Warranties, Obligations and Disclaimers.(a) Mutual Warranties. Each party represents and warrants that: (i) it has the right to enter
into this Agreement and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and (ii) it has no
contractual obligation that will interfere with its ability to perform its obligations under this
Agreement. You represent and warrant that the Services will not be used in an unauthorized
manner. We represent and warrant that we will provide the Services in a professional and
workmanlike manner.(b) Disclaimer of Warranties; Subscriber Obligations. (i) You are responsible for notifying us of any changes to, updates, inaccuracies, or incomplete
information regarding your facility in the Directory. We have no obligation to verify your
information or any other information in the Directory. (ii) WE MAKE NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY THAT THE PATIENT INFORMATION
PROVIDED BY AN INDIVIDUAL USER IS TRUE, ACCURATE OR COMPLETE. WE HAVE NO
OBLIGATION TO CONFIRM THE INDIVIDUAL USER’S IDENTITY OR AUTHORITY, OR THAT THE
PATIENT INFORMATION WE PROVIDE TO YOU IS TRUE, ACCURATE OR COMPLETE. WE MAKE NO
REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY THAT YOU WILL BE MATCHED WITH ANY PATIENTS OR THAT
ANY PATIENTS THAT ARE MATCHED TO YOU WILL BE APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR TREATMENT
FACILITY OR WILL BECOME PATIENTS OF YOUR TREATMENT FACILITY. You alone are responsible
for determining whether the patient’s condition(s) are appropriate for treatment at your
treatment facility. We do not provide any health care services, including, without limitation,
treatment, diagnosis, assessment, care coordination, or referral services. We do not make
referrals of patients. We do not endorse or recommend any treatment facility. We do not
arrange or recommend the purchase, lease, or order of any healthcare goods or services. Our
Services are not a substitute for professional judgment applied by you or Your Users. (iii) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY PROVIED IN THIS SECTION, ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED
“AS IS” AND WE HEREBY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY
OR OTHERWISE. WE SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ALL WARRANTIES
ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING, USAGE, OR TRADE PRACTICE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE
FOREGOING, WE MAKE NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND THAT THE SERVICES WILL MEET YOUR
REQUIREMENTS; BE AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES; OR BE SECURE, ACCURATE, COMPLETE, FREE OF
HARMFUL CODE OR ERROR-FREE. (c) Carrier Lines. The parties acknowledge that access to the Services is provided over various
facilities, communications lines, routers, switches, and other devices owned, maintained, and
serviced by third-party carriers, utilities, Internet service providers, and other service providers
(collectively, “Carrier Lines”), all of which are beyond the parties’ control. No party is liable for
any delay, failure, interruption, interception, loss, transmission, or corruption of any data or
other information transmitted on the Carrier Lines that are beyond the party’s control. Use of
the carrier lines is solely at the parties’ risk and is subject to all applicable law.

12. Liability.(a) You will indemnify, defend and hold harmless us and our members, officers, directors,
employees, agents, contractors, representatives, successors, and assigns from and against any
and all losses, damages, liabilities, claims, actions, judgments, settlements, costs, and expenses
of whatever kind, including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees that arise out of or
relate to (i) any breach by you of this Agreement; (ii) any use or disclosure of Patient
Information by you; (iii) personal injury and/or death; and/or (iv) any claims by individuals
relating to any of your acts or omissions, including, without limitation, any claims arising out of
your negligence or willful misconduct.(b) IN NO EVENT WILL EITHER PARTY BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS; LOSS OF DATA; ANY
INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES; OR ANY COSTS
OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES, EVEN IF A PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED
OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH CLAIMS OR DEMANDS. OUR CUMULATIVE LIABILITY FOR ALL
CLAIMS RELATING TO THE SERVICES, OR THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING ANY CAUSE OF ACTION
SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR STRICT LIABILITY, WILL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT
OF ALL FEES PAID TO US DURING THE TWELVE (12)-MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT GIVING RISE
TO THE LIABILITY.

13. Use of Marks. We may include your names, logos, and trademarks (“Your Marks”) in our
Directory and we may use Your Marks for marketing purposes, including, without limitation, on
our lists of customers, on our social media platforms, and on our website. We will not use Your
Marks in any other way without your written permission, and we will not give any third party
the right to use Your Marks. You will not use our names, logos, or trademarks (“Our Marks”)
without our written permission, and you will not give any third party the right to use Our
Marks.

14. Independent Contractor. We are an independent contractor. We alone will supervise and
manage all work that we perform under this Agreement. Neither you nor we are an agent of
the other. Neither you nor we have authority to represent the other party.

15. Force Majeure. Either party’s delay or failure to perform an obligation will not be
considered a breach of this Agreement to the extent the delay or failure is caused by any
occurrence beyond that party’s reasonable control. These include, for example, acts of God or
nature, actions of the government, fires, floods, strikes, civil disturbances or terrorism, or
power, communications, satellite or network failures. The foregoing will not be applicable to
excuse any obligation of a party to pay monies under this Agreement, or any obligaton of a
party to indemnify the other party.

16. Notices. Any notices under this Agreement must be provided to the other party in writing:
(a) by personal delivery; (b) by nationally-recognized overnight delivery service; or (c) by United
States, first class registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested,
addressed to the parties in the preamble of this Agreement or to another address that the
parties request in writing under this section. Notices will be considered “received” on the
earliest of: (a) personal delivery, or (b) upon receipt by any other method of delivery.

17. Miscellaneous.(a) Governing Law; Venue. This Agreement will be governed by and interpreted in accordance
with the laws of the State of Arizona. Maricopa County, Arizona will be the sole venue of any
litigation, arbitration or proceeding between us concerning this Agreement.(b) Entire Agreement. This Agreement and all exhibits to this Agreement are the entire
agreement between the parties concerning the subject matter of this Agreement. This
Agreement supersedes any previous agreements and understandings, whether oral or written,
between the parties concerning that subject matter.(c) Amendment; Waiver. We cannot change this Agreement unless the changes are in writing
and both parties sign the writing. If either party waives any provision of this Agreement, it will
not be considered a waiver of any subsequent breach of the provision or of a different
provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by the party granting the waiver.(d) Severability. If any of the terms of this Agreement is now or becomes invalid (or is declared
to be invalid by an authorized court or tribunal), such terms will not be effective, and they will
be considered severed from this Agreement. All remaining terms of this Agreement will remain
effective.(e) Headings. The headings in this Agreement will not affect the interpretation of any term of
this Agreement.(f) Assignment. We may assign this Agreement to any of our affiliates or in the event of a
merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of substantially all our assets. No other assignments
are permitted and any purported assignments that violate this clause will not be effective.(g) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is solely for the benefit of you and us, and
your and our respective successors and permitted assigns. Nothing in this Agreement, express
or implied, is intended to or will confer upon any other person or entity any legal or equitable
right, benefit, or remedy of any nature whatsoever.(h) Counterparts. You and we may sign this Agreement in multiple counterparts, each of which
constitutes an original, and all of which, collectively, constitute only one agreement. This
Agreement may be executed by facsimile or PDF.